Azaelia's Travels
by Ostracized
Summary: The third and final dragon egg has hatched, and Galbatorix has control over her Rider. She is sent on a mission to spy on Eragon, but will her feelings interfere? Title working. EragonxOC. Rating may change later on.
1. Master's Cruelty

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Eragon, or any of the Inheritance Series, or else I would be rich and have better things with my money than post stupid stories I write when I'm bored in class- but I digress. This is my first fic, so please be gentle. Thanks, and I hope you enjoy this!!**

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**Dialogue:**

"Speaking normally"

_Thinking_

_"Speaking in the Ancient Language"_

"Casting a spell"

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"_FOOL!"_

The single word echoed through her head, ringing in her ears and causing her to cringe away from her Master. Suddenly, a hammer of pain fell down on her, crushing her, bringing the elf to her knees. Sharp, pale, incredibly beautiful features contorted in pain as fire coursed through her veins, burning, scorching, _hurting._

Not a cry escaped her lips, though they were parted in a sort of soundless scream of agony, knowing that if she made a noise, he would just prolong it, so she writhed in mute pain.

Finally, it lifted, replaced by only a dull throbbing in her limbs. The girl rose shaking emerald eyes to the furious king, afraid of another attack. She relaxed somewhat after ten seconds of silence.

"You will not fail me again. Murtagh has died because of you—slain by the one they call Shadeslayer. I will have my vengeance—and you will wreak it.

"_Mor'ranin Hjarta." _She stiffened at the use of her true name. "Find the last Rider; befriend him." Disbelief swept through her. _What? _"Make him trust you. Then slide a knife between his ribs." A deranged, slightly insane expression crossed over his face, making him even more intimidating. She shivered. "Now Gànga! Go. Seek him out. _Kill him." _Her legs straightened of their own accord, forcing her into a standing position. She numbly staggered out of the chamber, head ringing. Naemir followed, equally as distraught.

Azaelia did not remember entering her quarters, only became aware that she was collapsed on the ground, smarting and quivering all over. Finally, she gathered herself and stood, hands only shaking slightly. She leaned against Naemir for support, the familiar twinkling green scales providing a bit of comfort. _I don't want to do this,_ She moaned, quivering.

_Be strong, _said Naemir said, attempting to comfort her through the veil of dull aches everywhere.

_We have to leave now or he'll punish us more, _sighed Azaelia, forcing herself to gather her things. Galbatorix's mind entered hers, and she felt his poisonous presence immediately.

_You will be playing the part of a young elf sent on a spying mission. You found the egg and it hatched for you, however the mighty king overpowered you. You managed to escape and seek further instruction. Your name is Saela._

_Yes, master, _replied Azaelia humbly, feeling him withdraw with relief. The part she was playing was easy enough because it was fairly true—and she was a good actress. She gathered meager belongings, only bringing the bare essentials. After only fifteen minutes, she was finished. _I guess it's time to go. _

The dragon nodded curtly and Azaelia climbed on, deftly strapping her legs in and sent a brief message to Galbatorix. _I am leaving, Master. _

And they took off.

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**How'd I do? I apologize for any misspellings and grammatical errors I have made. Please review!! Constructive criticism is welcome! (Note: U SUCK GO DIE IN A HOLE is not criticism) Anyways, I'm eager to hear your responses! The next chapter will be up in a bit! (:**


	2. Meeting the Enemy

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Eragon. Darn. xD**

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The steady rhythm of wingbeats soothed Azaelia somewhat; it was so constant, so stable, so reliable in a constantly changing world such as theirs. She rested the side of her face against Naemir's cool, shining emerald neck. A soft sigh escaped her lips, and the ghost of a smile touched the corners.

Flying was so liberating, away from the harsh, poisonous presence of her Master. Being almost-alone with Naemir was nice.

_We're getting closer, _said Naemir, a hint of sadness touching his voice. Azaelia's shoulders sagged; everything was so utterly _wrong. _Everything she did went against her very nature, and she was rubbed raw by the atrocities she was forced to commit.

She killed so much, snuffed out men's lives by the hundreds and thousands, and every life she took hurt her like a punch to the gut.

And she doubted she could take much more.

_Do not dwell on this now, little one, _Said Naemir sympathetically. _It is neither the time nor the place. We have a mission, no matter how hideous—we have to complete it. _Azaelia nodded astutely, keeping her chin up and pushing the thoughts from her mind.

_Can you see anything? _She asked, knowing her dragon's eyesight was better than her own.

_Possibly. I see a tiny dot of blue. _

_Good. Now fly kind of lopsided. Pant like you're tired. Perfect. _Azaelia nodded grimly, eyes fixed on where Naemir had indicated the blue dot that had to be the Shadeslayer's dragon.

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_What's that? _Saphira made a sudden, jerky movement towards the sky.

_What?_

_It's the strangest thing… I see a small green creature in the sky; its plumage is unlike any bird I have ever seen. It sparkles almost like…_

Eragon frowned. _Saphira.I know their d-death has jarred you, _He began cautiously; Saphira was touchy about the death of Glaeder and Oromis. _But you cannot get your hopes up. You know well as anyone that the last egg is with Galbatorix, and has not hatched. Murtagh was… disposed of. There are no more dragons._

He was trying to be as kind as possible, but he still sounded hard-hearted. Saphira's entire huge, big-as-a-house frame slumped. _I know… but can you blame me? _

_I'm sorry, Saphira. It's the truth though—_

_No! Look!_

Eragon cast his eyes to the sky, and there was a huge green figure hurtling clumsily through the sky at them, clearly too huge to be a bird by any stretch of the imagination.

_It can't—_

_But it has to be—_

_Try to reach out to them!_

Eragon nodded, recovering his scattered wits. He reached out to the minds of the Rider and dragon, only to meet a solid wall of defenses. Any attempt he made to circumvent the wall was easily foiled. He felt something click, and the Rider let the barriers surrounding her thoughts fall down. The mind was alien, unfamiliar. An elf's mind.

_R-r-rider Eragon? _The voice seeped with relief and tiredness.

He blinked. She knew his name? _I am Eragon Shadeslayer. Who are you, Rider?_

_I am Saela Earthshaker. Please—we have been flying and fighting for five days straight. _

_Of course. Land._

The dragon made an uneven landing, crashing shakily into the ground. It was only a bit smaller than Saphira, and its scales shone a deep emerald, which perplexed Eragon. The beautiful elf girl that rode him clumsily undid the restrainments on her legs with fumbling, thin fingers. She tumbled off, the grace of an elf abandoning her. She staggered towards him, movements unsettlingly jerky.

She managed to get about a yard from him, and then shuddered, the spasm rocking her entire frame, and then she fell, limply hitting the ground with a resounding thud.

Unsettled and highly disturbed, Eragon stumbled over to her and carried her to beside Saphira. _Watch her. I will question the dragon._

His blue dragon bobbed her head.

He moved over to the smaller green dragon, bowing slightly. _Honored dragon, I am Eragon Shadeslayer. If I may… what are you doing here?_

The dragon was barely conscious; his breathing was heavy and labored, but he replied nonetheless. _Harrow Flamebreath. Saela was a spy for Izlandi. She infiltrated the castle and found me. I hatched and we were caught. Galbatorix trained us for five months. We fought our way out. We haven't slept or rested in nearly a week. _Eragon flinched as waves of exhaustion rolled off of the dragon.

_Fine. You may rest for the night as I can feel how tired you are, but we will question you later._

_Thank you, Shadeslayer._

The dragon practically melted into the ground, eyes shutting with a quiet click.

Eragon glanced at Saphira. _What have we gotten into?_

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There we are. Second chapter up! (: PLEASE Review!!


	3. History of a Prodigy

**Here's chapter three! Enjoy, and please keep in mind that I have no idea where this is going. I'm making it up as I go along… ah well. Such is life. **

**I don't own any of the Inheritance Cycle books, unfortunately.**

Azaelia slipped into awareness, but made no move to suggest that she was awake. Instead, she cast her mind out to become aware of everything around her. She was curled into a ball beside Naemir, who was sleeping soundly. Saphira and Eragon were a spear's throw away, huddled around a tiny fire. They were speaking softly to each other, but for the sake of her exploration of her surroundings, Azaelia made no attempt to eavesdrop. She prodded Naemir's mind gently, awakening him.

_Naemir. _She could feel the dragon waking up, but he showed no outward signs of being awake. They had been trained well. _I suppose I should go talk to him?_

_Yes. I will help you, as will Master. I had to speak to the Shadeslayer last night, and Galbatorix provided an excellent cover story. He will help if you need it, but I doubt you will. Just make sure to remember every little detail. We don't want to be given away just for one little slip. Now go. Say everything you can in the Ancient Language._

_Okay. _She took a deep breath, then pretended to awaken, standing up unsteadily. The pair by the fire must have heard her coming, for she made no attempt to disguise her footfalls. She reached Eragon and sat beside him, curling her legs under herself. Finally, the Shadeslayer looked at her, no expression on her face. The girl took a deep breath, and then said, "I suppose you have some questions--"

_More than a few,_ interjected Saphira.

"We need to know everything about you," Said Eragon cautiously. "Let down the barriers in your mind—"

"No!" She interrupted sharply, then flushed slightly. Eragon was puzzled; he had never seen an elf not act haughty and imperious. This one must be young, he reasoned. "I—er, we don't like anyone in our mind. Ever. We'll give you some memories, but not complete access to our every thoughts." She seemed to regain some composure and confidence.

Eragon sighed inwardly; this would be harder than he thought, but he could not simply demand access to her mind. "Fine. But tell me everything about your life." She nodded, expression impassive.

"_I grew up in Ellesmera, a young elf highly proficient at magic and swordsmanship. My abilities exceeded those of my masters' quickly, and I became a prodigy at twenty years old. Soon, I went to Izlandi and received my first mission as a spy. She had already sent two, and both had died. I was her last hope to retrieve the third dragon egg. I infiltrated Galbatorix's castle thanks to a series of sheer luck and several ridiculously close shaves. I found Harrow, but when I touched his egg, my palm glowed white-hot. He hatched. I attempted to escape, but I was captured by Galbatorix and his guards_." She shuddered, biting her lip. _"He tortured me for two months straight, growing more and more impatient, and his methods became more and more harsh and violent." _She rolled up her sleeves grimly, revealing a macabre collection of massive scars and yellow-green bruises. Eragon had to restrain himself from running off and hurling his lunch.

"_I caved."_ She admitted this without looking at hi as she had done since then, shame coloring her features. _"You have to understand!" _She added frantically. _"It was horrible. He bent all of my limbs in different directions, broke every bone in my body that wasn't crucial to life, I—"_

"I understand," interrupted Eragon, stricken. He just wanted her to stop; he felt sick. "Go on."

"…_okay. When I swore allegiance to him, he trained me for three months straight. I was pushed to the brink of elfin endurance, but I'm probably as strong or stronger than you are now. I escaped, and found you." _It was all true; every word of it. She made sure of that by speaking in the ancient language.

Something in the Shadeslayer's face had changed. She finally recognized it as pity. "Is there anything else you need?"

"I suppose not, though you have given Saphira and I much to think about." He paused, looking at her with a frown on your face. Without a word, he stood up and took something out of a bag attached to Saphira's saddle. He threw it to her and the elf caught it without thought. It was a long, hard loaf of bread; it reminded Azaelia that she had not eaten for three or so days.

"Take this. You look like you haven't eaten in several weeks."

The elf girl bowed her head slightly. "Thank you, Shadeslayer." To be polite, she tried to take small bites, but willpower failed her and the minute nibbles becoming massive ravenous chomps. She looked up a tad shyly, relieved to see the other Rider grinning instead of disgusted.

About five hours passed and nobody spoke aloud. Naemir and Azaelia conversed only with each other, and Eragon and Saphira did the same. Night fell, and the two little groups were moved together around a small fire that provided more warmth than one would think. Silence prevailed, punctuated with the occasional pops and sizzles from the fire. Finally: "Now what?"


	4. The First Half of this Chapter

**Thanks for the comments!! I crave you guys' opinions, so keep reviewing!! **

"Now what?"

The question was an unavoidably important one, and the answer, as both knew well enough, would affect the course of their whole lives.

Eragon heaved a great sigh, and Azaelia could practically see the burden of judgment being placed on his shoulders. "This complicates things," He said, eyes closed. "The Varden won't trust you one bit. You just escaped from Galbatorix. You may still have spells on you, sworn oaths that included things that would hurt you or I. You could be a spy, for all they know."

Shivers flew down Azaelia's spine at his words as he nailed her in one shot . She bit her lip, looking guilty.

"I trust you, though!" Added Eragon, seeing her expression. A lump of guilt formed in Azaelia's gut at his words.

_We have decided to stay in this place until we can think of a way to explain this to Izlandi and Nasuada. I suggest you speak to Izlandi tonight as well._

Azaelia nodded curtly. "I'll do that."

Eragon sighed, standing up wearily. "I suppose I'll speak to Izlandi now. She'll know what to do." And he swiftly swept off, eyes sharp.

The elf watched his figure fade into the shadows, and then returned her emerald gaze to the brilliant fire, mesmerized by the flames' fluid, beautiful dance.

It was so easy to just slip into a passive state of unawareness, so she allowed herself to be devoid of thoughts and feelings for a short time, floating bodilessly through a void where the pains and troubles of the world did not exist.

Azaelia was jolted back to reality by Naemir's slow, trudging footsteps as he neared. She frowned slightly, jumping a bit as she thudded back to actuality. She did not remove her eyes from the bright conflagration.

_I hate this, _hissed Azaelia vehemently. _I hate it! I hate deceiving Eragon like this. I want him to trust me—so bad. I want to be _good. _Oh, damn Galbatorix! I—_

_Azaelia. Calm down. Breathe. _

Naemir's slow, unhurried voice soothed Azaelia somewhat, and as she closed her eyes, the sudden fire that had filled her was extinguished. She concentrated on her heavy breathing: in, out. In, out. The measured rhythm made her more placid, and a modicum of calm entered her.

_Thank you. Sorry about my, er—tirade. _

_It's not your fault. We are asked to do so much that is against our will, so much against your very gentle nature._

_Don't patronize me, snapped _Azaelia sharply, then slumping, a frown on her face. _I'm sorry._

_You're too high strung. Go to sleep._

Azaelia obeyed, falling quickly into a restless sleep.


End file.
